Be safe and be seen: make yourself visible to drivers
- Wear bright/light colored clothing and reflective materials.
- Carry a flashlight when walking at night.
- Cross in well-lit areas at night.
- Stand clear of buses, hedges, parked cars, or other obstacles before crossing so drivers can see you.
Be smart and alert: avoid dangerous behaviors
- Always walk on the sidewalk; if there is no sidewalk, walk facing traffic.
- Stay sober; walking while impaired increases your chance of being struck.
- Don't assume vehicles will stop; make eye contact with drivers; don't just look at the vehicle. If a driver is on a cell phone, they may not be paying enough attention to drive safely.
- Don't rely solely on pedestrian signals, look before you cross the road.
- Be alert to engine noise or backup lights on cars when in parking lots and near on-street parking spaces.
Be careful at crossing: look before you step
- Cross streets at marked crosswalks or intersections, if possible.
- Obey traffic signals such as WALK/DON"T WALK signs.
- Look left, right, and left again before crossing the street.
- Look across ALL lanes you must cross and visually clear each lane before proceeding.
- Don't wear headphones or talk on a cell phone while crossing.
Sources
Some information presented was gathered from TBNweekly.com, FDOT, walkwisetampabay.com, and walkinginfo.com